by : outdoorwellnessandprep Blog, Preparedness

Before Jumping Off the Cliff of Panic!

During worrisome times like right now, it’s very easy to go over the deep end and start panicking. Just stop and breath!! I know how you feel. I myself have felt anxious wondering if what we have done so far to prepare will be enough. We have stored food and some medical supplies that should last for a few months for our family of 4. We did this years ago, vacuum sealing dried goods that we knew would keep. We also have stored some medical supplies such as band aides, peroxide, iodine, gauze and splint kits. 

Even though we have tried to be ready, there are still some things that we should stock up on that we didn’t think about earlier. Of course our list may suit you, but you should see what things are important to you and act accordingly. So here’s our list of what we think are a necessity.

  1. Canned goods: Canned meats, seafood (salmon, tuna), and soups are great for times like these. Also energy bars, granola and fruit bars are also great, but they do have a shelf life so be careful. Most power bars should be fine past their expiration date if their packaging is still intact. I have purchased some of these, but will not use them until absolutely necessary. I am still going to the grocery store and am buying all of the fresh foods like salads, vegetables, fruit and fresh meats. Since we still have that option, I am loading up on these goods and cooking good nutritious foods while I can still get them. I am also freezing quite a bit which is a great option so I don’t have to go to the store so often.
  2. Vitamins/Supplements: If you eat well, you are most likely getting a lot of the vitamins and mineral that your body needs. But let’s be realistic, not everyone is eating healthy foods. During times where food may be scarce, stock up on some Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3 and the Vitamin B family. (Please remember to ask your doctor before taking these! We are not medical professionals, so please use this information at your discretion.) Eating the right foods and having the vit/minerals will help your body stay healthy and if you do become sick, it will help you get better quickly. If you buy a few bottles at a time, consider putting the ones not being used in the refrigerator to extend shelf life. 
  3. OTC Meds: If you do get sick, be sure to have expectorants, cough medicine, cough drops and fever fighting meds. EmergenC is also great to have on hand if you get sick. If you suffer from allergies, don’t forget your allergy meds. You definitely don’t want to confuse having a major illness with just having an allergy attack. 
  4. Hydrate: Stock up on drinks or powdered drinks. Pick up some drinks with electrolytes. They are great to have especially if you are sick. Staying hydrated is key even if you are not sick. I know if I don’t drink enough water during the day, I get a headache and feel fatigued like I am coming down with something. Let’s not do that!
  5. Liquid Gold: If you can, store some gas. We have a power boat that is parked in our backyard (yeah, our neighbors love us) and it has a full gas tank. Fortunately we will be able to siphon gas from the boat if we ever have a need. You never know if you will need it, so why be caught with your pants down, am I right? If you have multiple cars, be sure to have them filled up and only use one if you need to go out. Get some 5 gal gas jugs and fill them up. With the storing of gas, you will need to treat it. We use Pri-G for gasoline and Pri-D for diesel. Also if you have multiple 5 gal jugs of gas, be sure to use one of the jugs every month and replace with new gas. Rotate and refill so you will always a fresh supply. Nowadays there is a storage cap for gas thanks to the ethanol.

Hope this helps some of you to start thinking of what you can do to be better prepared. Somethings can still be found, so pick some up that will help your family in the coming month or two. Don’t hoard! Think of your fellow man. We all need to work together in order for this work itself out. Being considerate and kind should not take a back burner during times like this. Don’t be a jerk!

If you guys can think of anything else, please comment below and let us know. We’d love to hear how you all are doing during these crazy times. 

by : outdoorwellnessandprep Blog, Gardening

Woohoo!! We’ve got seeds!

The beginning of the year is always so exciting for me. It has nothing to do with making resolutions. It has everything to do with seeds!! In January, I start making a list of the plants we want to grow, and start sowing seeds indoors in anticipation of the upcoming growing season. In the past, I have started tomatoes, jalapeños, red/yellow peppers, and eggplant from seed indoors in February, so the plants would be ready for transplanting outdoors in spring. Our home always looks like a jungle when April comes around with all of the plants placed on any available surface. It never fails to make my heart pump a little faster when I see a seed germinate and grow into a beautiful, bountiful plant. 

I absolutely love harvesting the veg or fruit, and love it even more when I see my family loving the awesome taste. Our daughter would “graze” from one side of our yard to the other. She’d start with the raspberries and slowly meander across the garden picking and eating everything that she could until she got to the other side. 

I also sow the seeds of lettuces, greens, radishes, beets, carrots, potato, squashes, and beans directly in the garden beds. We use our compost to enrich the soil, but also have to purchase more compost because we don’t make enough for all of our beds. We used to have 7 beds, but we are down to four because of one of our latest projects. We added an addition to our house and had to take out three beds during the construction. 

We order our seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Their website is rareseeds.com. They have a great selection of heirloom seeds and have had great success with their seeds. You will be amazed at how many varieties of vegetables and fruit there actually are. I love reading from where these seeds come from. I know, I nerd really hard sometimes! 

You don’t need to buy heirloom seeds/plants to have a successful garden. You need good soil, water regularly, good sun, and commitment. Of course, nothing is fool proof, but you learn by doing. I have had some great harvests and other times I am left scratching my head at what the hell went wrong. It’s nature. What can you say?

We’ll be keeping you posted on our progress this season. With the construction and everything else going on, this year I am opting the buy the tomato, pepper, and squash seedlings from our local gardening center. They too sell heirloom varieties. I have already planted potatoes, and pea and Swiss chard seeds directly. We just received our order from Baker Creek yesterday for the other seeds. Can’t wait to see what happens!

Happy planting!!

by : outdoorwellnessandprep Blog, Health

Vitamin C

Encapsulated Vitamin C

In the present day, during all of this COVID-19 crisis, people are trying to keep healthy. It’s usually when we get sick, or the threat of sickness, that we ramp up our defenses with supplements and try eating healthier foods. Keeping healthy is something that should be on our daily to do list regardless. I am sure you all have heard of the good foods to eat like your greens, protein, fruit and low to no sugar. 

We try to get our good vitamins and minerals through our food, but let’s face it. The food we are eating today is not as packed with nutrients that the food harvested 100 years ago had. One thing that we drink to help with this is Vitamin C. It’s actually encapsulated Vitamin C.

We were introduced to encapsulated Vitamin C a few years ago, and we’ve been taking it on and off over the years. The way it was explained to me is that you combine powered Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) with a lecithin, either soy or sunflower (we use sunflower), and this allows the body to absorb more of the Vitamin C then regular Vitamin C. A jewelry cleaner – NOT one that you have already used for cleaning your jewelry – is required to encapsulate the Vitamin C with the lecithin so your body can absorb it better. 

There are many articles about encapsulated Vitamin C. You can even buy it already done for you. We like to make it ourselves and will provide you with the recipe we use. Please note, we are not health professionals and just wanted to share with you guys what we do as part of our routine to stay healthy. We believe this has kept our family from getting many colds and viruses that have had many down for the count. We take about half a shot glass daily. Not saying that this is a save-all, but it may help. 

If you do try it, let us know how it goes. 

All of the items can be purchased through Amazon.

Recipe: 

Ingredients/Supplies:

  • Vitamin C powder (Ascorbic Acid)
  • non-GMO Soy or Sunflower Lecithin (can be granular or liquid)
  • Water
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Measuring cups / spoons
  • Blender
  • Jewelry Cleaner (You will have to invest in a new one, and it should only be used for this purpose.)
  • Jars to pour finished Vitamin C
  1. Add 1 level tablespoon ascorbic acid to 1/2 cup distilled water. 
  2. Blend for 1 minute in a blender.
  3. Add 3 level tablespoons of non-GMO soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin to 1 cup distilled water. 
  4. Blend for 1 minute in a blender.
  5. Pour both solutions into ultrasonic cleaner and turn it on for 6-7 minutes. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon. 
  6. Once done, pour into cleaned jars and cover.
  7. Refrigerate.